


Soulmate

by Emerald_Vampire



Category: IZONE (Band)
Genre: Best Friends, Childhood Friends, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:00:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24664258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emerald_Vampire/pseuds/Emerald_Vampire
Summary: 7-year-old Chaewon asked her father what a soulmate is. 15 years later she finds the real answer.
Relationships: Kim Chaewon (IZONE)/Kim Minju
Kudos: 36





	Soulmate

_**“What’s a soulmate?”** _

_**“It’s like a best friend but more.”** _

Kim Chaewon’s family had just migrated from America. Everyone spoke a language she knew but never mastered. She was the odd one out in a bunch of whiny young 7 year olds. 

At school, she sat by the corner hoping that no one else would try to talk to her. The last time she tried speaking to someone her age at their church, she got ridiculed horribly. It was so traumatizing she vowed to just never talk to anyone.

It seems like today will be different than the last ones though because Kim Minju is here. Anyone who knew her would tell people that she’s the kindest soul. So pure and angelic. 

“Hi, my name is Kim Minju.”

Minju’s approach was so sudden. Chaewon abruptly stopped listening to her ipod and stared at the hand reached out towards her. She didn’t know what to do and people began staring. 

How could they not? Their idol is speaking with a mere stranger. 

In the end, Chaewon extended her hand and shook Minju’s.

“What’s your name?”

Minju’s eager voice rang in Chaewon’s ear. It wasn’t as loud as the squeals she’s used to hearing but there’s joy in it. It also sounded light and kind.

“K-Kim Chaewon…” she stuttered. 

Minju chuckled. 

Chaewon looked around and noticed the judging stares she’s been receiving. Minju is kind but not a lot of people make her laugh. It was so strange that a new student could easily do it.

“Kim Chaewon-ssi do you want to be friends?”

Chaewon began to stare again. Her mouth gaped. She understood little Korean but she knew what the girl was trying to say. 

This random girl that everyone seems to like wants to be friends with her.

“No, scratch that.”

Chaewon expected that the girl would retract her words. No one would ask her to be their friend. She was too strange for them and no one understood her. 

She didn’t expect the next thing Minju said.

“Let’s be best friends.”

_**“It’s the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else.”** _

Middle school came and both Minju and Chaewon agreed they would go to the same school. Well they had no choice, there was only one local middle school in their area anyway. 

“Chaewon can you wait here?” 

Chaewon nodded to Minju’s request and patiently waited for her outside.

School just finished and the convenience store was on their home. They would often visit it but Chaewon’s been saving money to buy something very important. Hence, she agreed to wait outside instead.

Minju came out after a little over 5 minutes.

“Did I make you wait?” 

Chaewon shook her head.

“It’s fine. What did you get though?”

Minju beamed as she raised the black plastic bag. Chaewon stared at it curiously. 

“You mentioned earlier that you wanted some ice cream.”

Minju took out the small ice cream tub from the plastic bag. 

“So here you go!” 

Chaewon stared at the familiar object that she’s been refraining herself from buying just so she could save more.

“B-but…” 

“Let’s go to your house so you can eat it!” 

Chaewon’s home was closer than Minju’s so the latter dragged her best friend. Chaewon was still a little bit dazed and only got her bearings back when they already sat down on the table. Minju was already handing her a spoon.

“H-how did you remember? I only mentioned it once.”

Minju grinned.

“You’re my best friend of course I would know everything about you. I keep track of what you say because they can come handy.”

Chaewon stared in awe. 

This person in front of her remembered what she said even if it didn’t carry a lot of weight. Minju knew her so well and even treated her knowing she’s been trying to save money.

Chaewon thinks this is the right time to give her present.

“Wait right here.”

Chaewon ran towards her bed room and took the neatly tucked box under her bed. Minju was waiting for her at the dining table with a lost expression when she returned.

“I was going to give you this next week for Christmas but I think it’ll be better if I give it to you now.”

Minju slowly ripped the wrapper from the box. She gasped after seeing the content it holds.

“I was planning to buy this for my birthday and you bought it!” 

Chaewon proudly nodded.

“This must have been expensive!”

Chaewon shrugged. 

“I saved a lot of my allowance for that.”

“Can you put it on me?”

Chaewon took the silver necklace and put it on Minju’s neck. She then reached out over to hers to show to Minju.

“I also have mine too.”

Chaewon then opened the small locket to show that there’s a letter engraved on it.

Minju opened hers too.

“M and C?”

“Minju and Chaewon.”

Minju stared at the two lockets with hearts in her eyes. This is the happiest she’s ever been. Well anytime she’s with Chaewon is the happiest moment in her life.

_**“That someone who makes you better.”** _

In high school, Minju still became the school’s most beloved. Every student knows her and loves spending time with her. Teachers adored her and made her class president even letting her run for the student council’s president. Which she obviously won.

However, Chaewon took a whole 180 degree turn. 

“Chaewon you know you have to study harder right?” Minju reminded her.

Chaewon shrugged. 

“I’ve been hearing complaints from our teachers. They say you might fail most of the classes and the chances of you passing your SAT are low.”

Chaewon shrugged again. She didn’t really care. She put her attention back on the book she’s reading. 

“You didn’t use to be like this,” Minju mumbled.

Chaewon snapped her head at Minju’s direction.

“Well people change.”

Minju’s phone suddenly rang. Chaewon knew who it was just from the ring tone. Her insides turned and her heart felt heavy. 

“It’s Hyunjin. He’s here to pick me up. We’ll talk more about this later.”

Minju collected all her stuff from the room and practically ran to leave. 

“Yeah sure.”

Chaewon stared at the closed door. In her mind, she knows she’s not the only one who changed.

She shifted her gaze over to her desk where a stack of books was piled on it. Minju made the effort to bring extra reading materials so they could study together for the SAT. 

Chaewon may hate the girl’s boyfriend but she won’t let this ruin their dreams of going to the same university. 

_**“No, actually they don’t make you a better person. You do that by yourself because they inspire you.”** _

“You’re studying?” Yujin asked Chaewon.

It’s rare to see the girl in the library holding a different book other than English classics. Yujin and Yena made sure to sneak up on her.

“I am.”

Yena then took the seat in front of her.

“She does study. She used to be really good in middle school. I was shocked when I heard the rumors that you were failing.”

Chaewon shrugged. She always had a bad reputation ever since she stepped her foot on the school premises without Minju by her side.

“What’s got into you though?” 

“Minju forced me to study.”

It’s the quickest answer she could form in her head without giving much too much detail about the occurrences of last week. 

“Really? I thought you don’t follow anyone else’s words?”

Chaewon stared at Yujin and thought about it.

Yujin was right. She doesn’t follow anyone else’s words. Moreover, Minju never really forced her. Minju was never too extreme on her even if she really wanted her to study better. 

Chaewon is doing this because she wants to. 

She’s doing this because by herself she knows that she wants Minju to be happy. 

**_“A soulmate is someone you carry with you forever.”_ **

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

Chaewon embraced the crying girl closer to her. 

“I really love him Chae…”

Chaewon gently stroked Minju’s hair. She pulled her even closer. 

“I know,” Chaewon whispered into Minju’s ear.

“W-why…”

Chaewon shakes her head. She will not let Minju question herself for what had happened. Minju was the ever perfect girl and no one can ever change that. 

“It’s not your fault. I should’ve known better that Hyunjin was also a jerk,” Chaewon tries to argue.

Minju sobbed even more. 

Chaewon’s chest tightened. Seeing the girl she cares for the most makes it hard for her to breathe. She can feel the pain with each sob Minju lets out. It’s as if the pain Minju feels is also felt by her.

“He promised he would never leave me and I trusted him. It hurts so much,” Minju cried.

Chaewon made Minju face her. 

“Look at me…”

Minju stopped fighting against Chaewon. She saw the sincere look in her friend’s eyes. Warm fingers touch her tear-stained cheeks. She slowly felt comfort creep into her wounded heart. 

“You did nothing wrong. Hyunjin is a big jerk for cheating on you and worse for letting you go but I want you to remember something. No matter who broke their promises with you, I will never break mine. I will always be here with you. I will never hurt you. Do you know why?”

Minju has an idea but she still shakes her head softly.

“Because you and I will be together forever.”

_**“It’s one person who knew you, accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did.”** _

Yujin sat in front of Chaewon in a busy cafe. This was the first time after graduating college that the two got the chance to meet up. Chaewon was in town and so was Yujin it was the perfect time to see each other.

“How have you been?” Chaewon asks Yujin first.

Yujin shrugs.

“I’ve been working here and there.”

“That’s really nice.”

Chaewon was playing it cool. She didn’t expect Yujin's next words. The younger girl leaned on the table. She squinted, fixating her gaze on Chaewon. The latter felt like she’s being examined under the microscope. 

“W-what?” She awkwardly asks. 

Yujin does not back away.

“I heard something about you.”

“I hope it’s something nice?” Chaewon croaks.

Yujin’s gaze strengthens. 

Chaewon felt small in her seat.

“You and Minju are still not dating. Why is that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. She and I are only friends.”

Yujin rolls her eyes and finally backs away. Chaewon lets out a deep breath, something she didn’t notice holding in. 

“That’s bullshit,” Yujin frankly says.

Chaewon kept mum.

“Everyone knows how much you like her.”

Chaewon looks away. She felt caught and didn’t know what response to say. She muttered the first thing that popped into her mind.

“It’s because she’ll never like me.”

Yujin pounds on the table. Everyone at the cafe turned their heads to look at their table. Chaewon had to clear things up to them because Yujin was just too pumped up. 

“Can you take it down a notch?”

Yujin shakes her head violently.

“Look, that girl has been giving you googly eyes since the first time I saw you. Mind you, I had a crush on her and she denied me instantly. The only time someone passed was Hyunjin, a jerk, that somehow was your friend before all that. That girl is willing to move heaven and hell just for the two of you to be together. That girl loves you with all her heart and soul.”

“That girl is my best friend.”

Yujin shows her disagreement with a firm head shake. 

“You are wrong. She knew all of you. She accepted all your faults and imperfections. She believed in you when no one else did. Clearly that all means one thing, she’s not just your best friend.”

_**“And no matter what happens, you’ll always love them and nothing could ever change that.”** _

Listening to Yujin preach struck a chord in Chaewon’s mind. She stood up and bolted out of the establishment with one thought in mind. 

Minju is her everything and both of them need to know that.

Chaewon was panting when she reached Minju’s doorstep. She rang the doorbell thrice and Minju frantically came outside. 

Chaewon was bent over on her knees as she tried to get her bearings back.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong? Does it hurt anywhere?” 

Minju tried her best not to panic as she assisted Chaewon to stand. Chaewon pried herself away softly from her to face her properly. 

“I need to tell you something.”

Minju nodded.

“Go on…”

“I love you.”

Minju’s brows furrowed. She opened her mouth to say something but no words could come out. She closed it again but then she realizes she needs to respond. However, no coherent thought forms in her mind as it goes haywire.

Chaewon sees this and immediately ups her game.

“You’re probably as shaken as I am but you have to hear me out. I knew a long time ago that you meant so much to me. I just didn’t know how much that really is. But when Yujin talked to me earlier I felt everything clicked. Everything is a mess but I’m sure of one thing. I need you to know how I felt. I know it’s shitty for me to do this. I’m risking everything to tell you this but I want you to know that it’s okay if you don’t feel the same thing.”

Chaewon motions for Minju to say something.

“I…”

“Do you need time? How about space? Should I go away?” 

When Minju didn’t say anything, Chaewon thinks that’s her cue to leave.

“Wait, no! Don’t go.” 

Minju stops her.

“I love you too,” Minju finally lets out.

Chaewon stood frozen. 

“Did I hear that right?”

Minju nods her head. 

Chaewon immediately pulls Minju for a hug. She looks at the younger girl straight in the eyes.

“Can I kiss you?” 

Minju nods her head again.

The kiss perfectly showed 15 years of budding romance and hidden feelings of these two separated souls. 

When the two pulled away, Chaewon’s hands stayed on Minju’s cheeks.

“15 years ago I asked my father what a soulmate is and 15 years later I found the answer. You. It may have taken 15 years for me to say it but, Minju, you are my everything. I love you with all my heart and no matter what happens nothing can ever change that.” 

Nothing can change that because after 15 years of questioning what her father meant 15 years ago Chaewon finally found the answer in the form of Kim Minju.

Her own soulmate.   
  



End file.
